6 unbelievable facts about Richard Speck: Did he have breasts?
Nearly 60 years on from his appalling crimes, Richard Speck remains one of the most notorious characters in America’s criminal history. In July 1966, he brutally murdered eight student nurses in Chicago – a crime so shocking it reshaped America’s sense of safety overnight.
But beyond the horror of that night, Speck’s life and later years in prison were filled with bizarre twists, disturbing footage and unbelievable details that continue to fascinate and horrify true crime fans to this day.
Join us at Crime+Investigation as we explore six of the wildest and most unbelievable facts about Richard Speck.
1. He committed one of America’s most shocking single-night massacres
On the night of 13th July 1966, Speck broke into a Chicago townhouse that served as a dormitory for student nurses.
Over the duration of several hours, Speck stabbed and strangled eight students: Gloria Davy (22), Patricia Matusek (20), Nina Jo Schmale (24), Pamela Wilkening (20), Suzanne Farris (21), Mary Ann Jordan (20), Merlita Gargullo (23) and Valentina Pasion (24).
Speck conducted the murders one by one, with intervals of 20-30 minutes between each. Another woman, Carazon Amurao, survived after crawling and hiding under a bed, and remained hidden until almost 6am the following morning. Her testimony later led to his arrest.
The murders were described as 'the crime that stunned America', and remain one of the deadliest individual mass murders in US history.
2. A distinctive tattoo led to his arrest
Following the murders, Speck attempted to disappear. But following an unsuccessful suicide attempt on the 19th July, he was identified in hospital due to a distinctive tattoo on his arm – which bore the words 'Born to Raise Hell'.
Speck was recognised by Dr LeRoy Smith, who had previously read about the tattoo in a newspaper report.
Corazon Amurao later confirmed Speck as the killer, identifying both his tattoo and his chilling eyes.
3. He was nicknamed ‘Birdman’ and collected stamps while imprisoned
While incarcerated at the Stateville Correctional Center in Illinois, Speck earned the nickname ‘Birdman’ after keeping a pair of sparrows that had flown into his cell. Described as a loner who enjoyed stamp collecting and listening to music, he wasn’t a model prisoner.
He was often caught with drugs or distilled moonshine, but was not deterred by further punishment. “How am I going to get in trouble? I’m in here for 1,200 years!” he was quoted as saying.
4. He developed breasts while imprisoned
One of the most bizarre and unusual facts about Richard Speck centres around the question of whether he had breasts. Unbelievably, the answer is yes – in a way.
In 1996, years after his death , shocking footage emerged showing him with female-like breasts, taking drugs and bragging about his crimes. It later emerged that he had reportedly smuggled in hormone pills while serving his sentence, leading to his changed appearance.
The tape, believed to have been made in 1988, caused outrage when it aired publicly. In it, Speck appeared to have fully adapted to life behind bars – using drugs, wearing women’s underwear and boasting that 'if they knew how much fun I was having, they’d turn me loose.'
5. His final years were disturbingly comfortable
Speck was initially sentenced to death on the 5th June 1967 following a short 12 day trial. But by 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court had abolished capital punishment and his sentence was commuted to 50 to 100 years in prison.
He appeared to live out his final years with shocking ease. The prison tape from 1988 suggested that contraband drugs, alcohol and even sex were commonplace behind bars.
Speck died of a heart attack in 1991, the day before his 50th birthday. His body went unclaimed, and he was cremated without ceremony.
Even in death, Richard Speck left behind a legacy that feels almost too horrifying – and too surreal – to believe.
6. The story that he exchanged letters with Ed Gein isn’t true
Richard Speck received fresh attention in 2025, following the release of Netflix’s drama series, Monster: The Ed Gein Story. In it, Speck is briefly shown writing to Gein, while incarcerated, admitting that Gein had inspired his own crimes.
But did this really happen?
Despite online speculation, there’s no verified evidence that the two ever corresponded. Both men were imprisoned in different states, and no letters have ever surfaced in official records.
Both killers’ crimes have become macabre staples of true crime folklore – but the truth is that their paths never crossed. In reality, it’s a case of Netflix using its own creative license to further embellish a shocking story.
Want to discover the truth about Ed Gein? Don’t miss Crime+Investigation’s extraordinary two-part series, Ed Gein: Original Psycho, available from Monday 13th October 2025.
Love true crime? Stay in the know with the Crime+Investigation Newsletter! Get exclusive access to new articles, episodes, clips, competitions, and more – delivered weekly and completely free. Don't miss out – sign up today!
